Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin, a hormone that is needed to convert the foods we eat into needed energy. Glucose is the basic fuel for the cells in the body, and insulin transports glucose from the blood into the cells. Without insulin, glucose builds up to higher than normal levels in the blood - a condition that for generations has been known as high blood sugar - and cells needing glucose are starved for energy.
Diabetes carries an increased risk for heart attack, stroke, and other ailments related to poor circulation. It can damage the kidneys, and can cause eye problems that can lead to blindness. One of the most frequent complications of diabetes is nerve damage, and specifically a variety of foot problems.
There are four varieties of the disease, the most common of which is Type II, or adult-onset, diabetes. Almost all of those who develop Type II diabetes have pre-diabetes, with blood sugar levels that are higher than normal but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetic. According to the ADA, some 41 million Americans, ages 40 to 74, have pre-diabetes.
Take a moment to ponder the idea that more than 6 million people in this country have absolutely no idea they have this disease. If it occurs to you that with your lousy diet and lack of exercise, you may be one of them, it's time to resolve your uncertainty. Knowledge is power, and there are two different tests your doctor can perform to determine whether you have the disease or are at risk of developing it: the fasting plasma glucose test and the oral glucose tolerance test. Both measure blood sugar levels to determine whether you have a normal metabolism or are pre-diabetic or diabetic.
If your doctor determines that you have pre-diabetes, it's possible to turn back the clock and prevent the development of Type II diabetes by making changes in your diet and frequency of physical activity. According to the ADA, 30 minutes a day of moderate exercise combined with a 5 percent to 10 percent reduction in body weight will reduce your chances of contracting the disease by 58 percent.
Eating well-balanced meals and increasing physical activity are two of the ADA's recommendations for helping you maintain - or regain - normal blood glucose levels. When combined, exercise and healthy eating help you lose weight, which will help you prevent Type II diabetes.
According to the National Diabetes Fact Sheet, the disease was the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S. in 2002, the last year for which statistics are available, and the risk of death among diabetics was about twice that of people the same age who did not have the disease. If knowledge is power, and this is an age of awareness, too many people are dying of a disease that can be controlled with the proper information.
To learn more about diabetes, contact any of the following organizations' Web sites: the American Diabetes Association, www.diabetes.org; the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, www.cdc.gov/diabetes; or the National Diabetes Education Program, www.ndep.nih.gov.
